Overview

Xoloitzcuintle, (pronounced “Show-low-its-queen-tli”) is also called the Mexican Hairless Dog, or The Xolo and is one of the world’s rarest and oldest breeds. Archaeological evidence dates this breed back to more than 3000 years ago as companions to the Mayans, Aztecs, and Colimas. The Aztecs found these dogs particularly useful as bed warmers. The Xolos of today are basically the same as their ancestors from long ago. They are native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Once named Xoloti, this unique breed comes in three sizes: standard, miniature and toy and also come in two varieties: coated and the hairless.

Body type

The Xolo is a very robust and hardy breed, with a broad skull and a black or skin-colored nose. Their eyes are almond-shaped and usually dark in color, but can vary with a dog’s coat color. A Xolo’s most noticeable physical trait is its large, pointed, bat-like ears.

This breed’s body proportions are rectangular, slightly longer in body length than its height, which is measured at the highest point of the shoulders (withers). Xolos range in height from 9 to 30 inches and in weight from about 5 to over 60 lb. The three sizes of Xolos, according to U.S. breed standards, are:

The Toy Xolo is 9 to 14 inches at its shoulders and weighs between 5 and 15 pounds. The U.S. Toy size is a Mexican Miniature.

The Miniature Xolo is 15 to 20 inches at its shoulders and weighs between 15 and 30 pounds. The U.S. miniature is a Mexican Intermediate.

The Standard Xolo is 20 to 30 inches at its shoulders and weighs between 25 pounds to 40 pounds, however Standards can weigh up to 60 pounds or more

The AKC does not recognize Xolos less than 10 inches or over 24 inches, however.

Coat

Litters of Xolos will contain puppies with both kinds of coats – about one out of every four Xolo puppies are born with hair. Of the two types of coats, the hairless variety is dominant genetically and the most desirable. A hairless Xolo can have a short tuft of fur on the head, on the toes, and at the tip of the tail, but it should never possess hair anywhere else. The skin of a hairless Xolo will be very smooth and soft, yet hardy and protective. The coated Xolo will have a short-haired, flat, dense coat which is clean and sleek, similar to that of Doberman Pinscher or Pointer. A coated Xolo, however, should not have long, wiry, or wavy hair.

Color

Most hairless dogs are black or bluish-gray in color, but they can come in a variety of other colors, such as gray, brindle, fawn, bronze, slate, red, and can be solid or spotted. The dark colored or solid colored hairless Xolos have the hardiest skin while the spotted or light colored dogs tend to need more care. Both types of Xolos change color as they mature.

Temperament

Xolos are highly intelligent, inquisitive, loyal, alert, and have strong hunting and social instincts. Mature Xolos are known for their calm disposition, but puppies can be extremely spirited, boisterous, and often love to chew on almost anything until they reach about two years of age. Like other lively breeds, Xolos need persistent, yet loving socialization and obedience training during their puppy years. With proper training, this breed is excellent with children and strangers. They are also easy to house train and learn very quickly. However, you must be the leader, or your Xolo will lead you and everyone else in your house!. Behavioral problems usually arise when a dog does not receive adequate physical and mental exercise or training, which is not the fault of the dog. It is best to have other dogs when raising a Xolo since they are very social animals.

Tasty Tidbits

American Kennel Club (AKC) first recognized the hairless variety of this breed in 1887. The first AKC registered Xolo dog was named Mee Too, and in 1940 another Xolo named Chinito Jr became the first Xolo to become an AKC champion. The standard and miniature sizes were recognized by the AKC until 1959, when Xolo numbers dropped and registrations dwindled. Fortunately, fans of Xolos brought the breed back from the brink of extinction. The Xoloitzcuintli Club of America (XCA) was founded in October 1986 and recognized all three sizes and both varieties at their first official meeting.

The XCA worked tirelessly on regaining AKC acceptance, and in May 2008, the AKC readmitted the breed to its Miscellaneous Class, beginning in January 2009. The breed was finally eligible to be shown in the AKC Non-Sporting group as of January 2011. In February 2012, the Xolo made its first appearance at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Xolos tend to live long lives of 15 to 20 years of age. Since the Xolo is an ancient breed which has changed little over thousands of years, they are normally not prone to breed specific health problems as other breeds that have been modified by human breeding efforts. Since these dogs originated in tropical climates, they are not suited for the outdoors in colder climates.

They also need sunscreen when in the sun for long periods of time Xolos require diligent skin care, or skin problems, like acne, may result.

Overview

The Appenzeller Sennenhund breed of dog is one of the breeds that fall under the Sennen dog. It is also among the rarest of the four types of the sennen family. Its origin is believed to be the Appenzeller Mountains, which are located in Switzerland. As a matter of fact, the term Sennenhund can be traced back to the Senn herders who used to live in the Swiss Alps.
The dog was first bred in the late 1890s or early 1900s and is probably a crossbreed between the appenzeller mountain dog and the Spitz breed.

Body type

The Appenzeller is a midsized dog. It has a length of approximately 23 inches (58 cm) and weighs between 50 and 70 pounds( 22.5 -32 kgs). It has a deep and broad chest, oval to round shaped ribs, and a level backline. The dog also has small dark eyes, broad head, and a black nose. The appenzeller has a firm, flat, and broad croup. Its strong loin and straight legs make it a very powerful dog. One unique body feature of the breed is its tail, which is always kinked (rolled up). This is what distinguishes it from the other four Sennen breeds.

Appenzeller Sennenhund Dog Breed Information

Coat

The dog has a two-layered coat, which is shiny and very dense. The topcoat is the thickest and shiniest, while the undercoat is less shiny but is also dense. It is slightly wavy on the withers and back. Additionally, the coat is closefitting and very firm thus making it easy to groom. A simple brushing will easily remove any dead hair.

Color

The Appenzeller Sennenhund is mostly found in two colors. These are either black tricolor, or rusty-red tricolor. The most common is the black colored coat, which features reddish-tan markings on the head, legs, as well as the chest.

Temperament

The Appenzeller is well known for its faithfulness, energy, and full of life nature. It likes running around a lot. This is attributed to the fact that it was initially bred as a hunting dog. Therefore, its hunting traits will always come out once in a while. It makes a very good hunting or shepherd dog due to its agility. Apart from being an intelligent and fearless dog, it is also known too bark quite often as well as showing aggression especially to strangers. It is therefore important to socialize and train the dog as early as possible. This helps in dealing with its constant barking, and anxiousness.

Tasty Tidbits

Due to its high energy, the dog requires a great deal of exercises. This helps to burn down the extra energy. It also improves the bonding between the dog and its owner. Therefore, if you are not a very active person or is not always around, you may find it challenging to keep up with the dog’s activeness.

Health

The Appenzeller Sennenhund does not have any major health issues. It can comfortably thrive in any environment without any complications. Nevertheless, it is necessary to regularly take the dog to a vet. Doing so will ensure that the dog will always be happy by your side for at least 12 to 13 years.